Dixon, Faye Christina Morris (2022) Between tradition and individualism: the sheng nu (leftover women). Master thesis.
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Abstract
Background China, a country with longstanding fame for its population size and its population policies, a country which is aging, shrinking and experiencing a demographic crisis. A country which today still sees marriage as a gateway to childbirth. In an effort to encourage marriage, and thus child birth, the Chinese state label single women over the age of 27 as ‘leftover women’ or in mandarin sheng nu. Objective Taking into consideration China’s longstanding traditions, history, cultural heritage combined with its current authoritarian political rule, this study is guided by theories of agency, individualism and female empowerment to investigate influences on singlehood, marriage timing and life satisfaction as well as exploring the demographic reality of the sheng nu. Method. Using survey data from the 2010 and 2018 China Family Panel Studies (CFPS), socioeconomic indicators such as education and household registration are used as explanatory variables for both an ordered probit model created to test ‘life satisfaction’ and an event history analysis model to observe influences on ‘marriage timing’. Findings Analysis of the data signals that educated, urban women in China equate a marriage to positive life satisfaction but do look for a later moment to wedlock (for the most part, keeping within cultural expectations of marrying before age 27). Conclusions can be made that suggest the term sheng nu is working as a linguistic tool: women from the China Family Panel Survey appear to not only value marriage but most strive to achieve it within the ideals set out by the Chinese state.
| Item Type: | Thesis (Master) |
|---|---|
| Degree programme: | Population Studies |
| Supervisor: | Wissen, L.J.G. van |
| Date Deposited: | 30 Sep 2022 11:25 |
| Last Modified: | 30 Sep 2022 11:25 |
| URI: | https://frw.studenttheses.ub.rug.nl/id/eprint/4073 |
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